I like the latter explanation. Porn seems to me to be characterized by perfect competition - I mean, really, have you ever heard of anyone arguing that the product is differentiable?

On the other hand, mainstream movies seem to be going more towards monopolistic competition, with a heavy reliance on either trying to create a differentiable product or else on quick and dirty attempts to use free entry to horn in on positive economic profits before they are arbitraged away.

To appreciate the sheer strangeness of the situation, imagine the
reaction of the CEO of a business firm, and his board of directors, if
after the CEO criticized one of the firm's executives for
absenteeism, ascribed the underrepresentation of women in the firm's
executive ranks to preferences rather than discrimination, dealt in
peremptory fashion with the firm's employees, and refused to share
decision-making powers with them, was threatened with a vote of no
confidence by the employees. He and his board would tell them to go
jump in the lake. But of course there would be no danger that the
employees would stage a vote of no confidence, because every employee
would take for granted that a CEO can be brusque, can chew out
underperforming employees, can delegate as much or as little authority
to his subordinates as he deems good for the firm, and can deny
accusations of discrimination.

If, however, for employees we substitute shareholders, the
situation changes drastically. The shareholders are the owners, the
principals; the CEO is their agent. He is deferential to them.
Evidently the members of the Harvard faculty consider themselves the
owners of the institution.

They should not be the owners. The economic literature on worker
cooperatives identifies decisive objections to that form of
organization that are fully applicable to university governance. The
workers have a shorter horizon than the institution. Their interest is
in getting as much from the institution as they can before they retire;
what happens afterwards has no direct effect on them unless their
pensions are dependent on the institution's continued prosperity.
That consideration aside (it has no application to most professors'
pensions), their incentive is to play a short-run game, to the
disadvantage of the institution--and for the further reason that while
the faculty as a group might be able to destroy the institution and if
so hurt themselves, an individual professor who slacks off or otherwise
acts against the best interests of the institution is unlikely to have
much effect on the institution.

Read the whole thing. (Don't judge me harshly either - I am not a Summers fan).

New Scientist has a webpage called Dinosaur: Instant Expert. Three pages of light prose with about 60 links to readily accessible articles published there over the years about what's new in dinosaur paleontology.

Don't get me wrong - I do think there is some merit in their arguments.

However, economics is more about the actions that people do take rather than the actions they might engage in. You guys know better than to not do your research.What brighter and more widely cited economists like Tyler, Alex and
Tim need to focus on is not why polygamy might make economic sense, but
why the holders of a belief that for good or bad is currently illegal,
are also broadly engaged in a wide variety of actions whose illegality
is not open to discussion!

The FLDS sect - which practices polygamy - has a strong presence in 3 states and a Canadian province, and membership running into the mid 5 figures. It has engaged in bank fraud, mortgage fraud, welfare fraud, misallocation of tax dollars, blatant theft, and a host of other activities. It's leader is on the FBI's most wanted list, and has been on the run for over a year. It maintained a police department and local judicial system in which violaters of the law were allowed to keep jobs - just this morning a polygamist judge who had been on the bench for over 20 years was removed from office. Sect members also systematically looted a school district of both physical and more intangible wealth. All of this is summarized in my subject category - and I don't include everything I see or hear about in the local news. Please note that my argument carries considerable weight without the need to be extended to the murkier but widely known mistreatment of women and children within this sect.

N.B. The FLDS sect is an offshoot of the LDS church, but these groups consider each other apostate. It is relatively common for members of the latter to disparage the former. While I live among an LDS majority, I am not LDS, and I hope that my position is not viewed as a knee-jerk response based on faith.

At 4 PM yesterday we became dogless for the first time in 12 years (see the previous post).

By dinner, sadness had turned into playful reminiscence, and plans to get two puppies in no less than a few months, and perhaps quite a bit longer. As a token of relief, I offered around 7 PM to go do some grocery shopping with the vXgirl.

There are 25K people in my town, and going to Wal-Mart always includes intersections with acquaintances. After extricating myself from the first one in the foyer, I turned towards the pharmacy.

There was Shawn, one of my better acquaintances on campus from outside my college and building. His first words were not "Hi Dave", but "Want a puppy?"

I was flabbergasted.

He went on. Free puppies. First choice. Four days old and we could have one in about 2 months. Springer spaniel border collie mixes. Shawn teaches things on marriage, family relations, parenthood, socialization, and so on - so I suspect they come from a good home. He also goes to the same vet that we do, who confirms a good household.

I also grew up with springer spaniel border collie mix.

I pushed Shawn off to call the vXspouse. She believes in signs. She was flabbergasted.

When I came home she had me call him. The line was busy. She called back, introduced herself, and asked if we could have two puppies.

Now what do you name two puppies you acquire this way? Karma and Dharma? Karma and Chameleon? Calvin and Knox? Providence and serendipity? Fate and destiny? We're leaning towards peanut butter and jelly, but we'll have to wait and see if the names fit the personality.

Genesis

Information

With the development of internet technology, work at home jobs are increasing in the market. Also setting up small business online with ones own bank savings can provide excellent work at home opportunities. Apart from savings, banks offer0 credit card to cater to short term finance needs. Partial tax payments like tax credits are also available to promote online businesses. Market now offers several alternatives to traditional credit card debt which are helpful to work at home businesses.